Tributes to a ‘modest man’ who shaped countless lives

Tributes have been paid to a man who spent his entire teaching career shaping young minds in Brackley.

Kenneth Payne died on Saturday, July 27, aged 82, after having spent around 40 years at Magdalen College School.

Born in south Birmingham, his family moved to Towcester after the second world war and his sister Marguerite started Payne’s Nurseries.

Mr Payne went on to graduate from Towcester Grammar School where, as head boy he met his wife Mary who was head girl. They were married for 57 years and he also leaves behind three children and five grandchildren.

Both qualified as teachers and Mr Payne went on to be head of the main school and Mrs Payne went on to be deputy head at Brackley Infants School.

His son Marcus said as well as shaping the lives of countless students at MCS his father was an important figure within the family. Mr Payne had also been the chairman of Brackley Tennis Club for 15 years and was the principal of Brackley Adult Education for around 12 years.

Marcus said: “My father therefore contributed greatly throughout his life to the local community. He was a wonderful grandparent who formed strong lasting relationships with all his grand children, Alex, Callum, Patrick, Elly and Libby. Encouraging, interested and enthusiastic about all they did. A self-effacing man, who looked and saw the good in others.”

Tennis club president Chris Skermer said Mr Payne had a ‘get stuck in’ attitude which helped more than double the number of courts and nurtured the friendly atmosphere of the club. She added: “He was always cheerful and felt it more important to take part than win.”